Casting Aaron Sorkin's John Edwards movie

By
Jen Chaney

Aaron Sorkin has announced that he will make his directorial debut with a big screen adaptation of "The Politician," Andrew Young's tell-all about the sordid affairs of one-time presidential candidate John Edwards.

Sorkin has demonstrated a flair for capturing political drama in movies like "The American President" and, of course, in NBC's "The West Wing," a show he created. The guy probably doesn't need any help in the screenplay-crafting department.

But maybe he could use a hand with casting. So, in an effort to make Aaron Sorkin's life easier, we've got four of the key roles in "The Politician" all figured out.

They've both got smiles that flash brighter than 1,000 halogen lamps. And for Cruise, this would present the kind of acting challenge he hasn't tackled in a while. If he could master that Carolina drawl and Edwards' affable smarminess, maybe he'd even earn another Academy Award nomination.

Leoni shares something of a physical resemblance to Edwards's baby mama. And as she's demonstrated in films like "Flirting With Disaster" and "Spanglish," she can do stressed-out and borderline crazy quite well, qualities that may be key to portraying Hunter's emotional state during her tumultuous, secret affair with Edwards.

Playing the Edwards aide who tries to stand by his boss (at least until that part where he published a book about him) would make a nice departure from Hamm's role as the dark and mysterious Don Draper. Plus, it would put Jon Hamm in the movie. And this always seems like a good idea. In a related story, Hamm also would have been just perfect for the part of Spider-Man, one of those little yellow minions in "Despicable Me" and Tinker Bell.

Like these suggestions? Or do you have better ones? Weigh in with a comment.

If this book actually becomes a movie it will be a flop unless it is made as an animated feature like Toy Story. It would also have to have some adoreable characters and with the plot of this book that might be difficult. Perhaps the "Edwards" character could be a vampire. Their are a lot of true stories around which would make a better movie. How about a movie on the real life antics of Newt Gingrich? Or on the real life adventures of John McCain after he returned from Vietnam, dumped his wife and married a rich beauty? Ot to be exotic make a movie about the real life love life of Mao? All in all the Edwards story is pretty boring.

Leoni has too much class to play Hunter! How about that trashy plastic-surgery reality tv chick - Heidi something? It has to be someone tacky enough to pose pantless for a magazine and then disingenuous enough to pretend she didn't know they'd publish the pics... Leoni's intelligence shows too much for that role :)

Michael Cena as John Edwards and Jack Black in drag with a beard as Elizabeth Edwards. Polanski to comes back to the U.S. to direct and all three are imprisoned and summarily executed for crimes against humanity...

from jfregus
Who in their right mind would want to see a movie like this?

Well... uh... I would if Don Draper was in it and there was even a tiny chance that he'd have a scene wherein he's parading around in his birthday suit. Other than that... uh... no... no interest at all.

I don't think Cruise could pull off the heavy South Caroline accent. The smooth talking southern politician needs to be spot on for this role to work. It might be less problematic to cast someone that already has that southern charm. How about Matthew McConaughey. That way they would just need to put an Edwards wig on him.

ozpunk, at first I read that as John Cena as John Edwards. That would be a very different movie.

jfregus, it's Aaron Sorkin making a movie about politics. Last time he did that was with Charlie Wilson's War, which was pretty well-received. Only difference now is he's directing. There are a lot of people who'll want to see this based on Charlie Wilson's War, The American President, and The West Wing.

Oh, and yeah, I guess some people will be interested in the TV psychic guy that it's supposed to be about. That's the John Edwards we're talking about, right?

Thanks for this, Jen, but I think Tea Leoni is a little too old to play Rielle. I would opt for January Jones. And how about Rob Lowe as the Senator? He understands sexual misconduct in the media on a personal level. I agree with prior posters in that I'd like to see Ben Affleck as Andrew Young and the great Meryl Streep as Elizabeth Edwards!

You know who'd do John Edwards perfectly? Tim Matheson! He played the same smarmy politician role as John Hoynes on West Wing and was fabulous!

I think someone's idea of Rob Lowe was good, too -- he has the same boyish thing going on that Edwards has.

Like Mary Kay Place. Not sure about Tea Leoni, who might come off too classy to portray Hunter -- but despite what a previous poster said, she's certainly not too old to play her. Hunter was born in '64; Leoni in '66.

this casting actually is quite good. if tom cruise could rein it in a little and not be too over the top, he could be a good john edwards. elizabeth edwards is by the way only 4 years older than john edwards. it's just that she's aged poorly (i know she's ill) and he's aged ridiculous well. mary kay place really does look like elizabeth and oddly tea leoni could pull of an authentic rielle as long as they put her in cheap discount flouncy clothes and mimiced her mannerisms. i would keep looking for someone better than john hamm. i don't think he looks like andrew at all. otherwise, pretty decent casting. jeez. i swear.